Standing O for Sandra Jansen after bullying speech in the legislature

Calgary MLA Sandra Jansen is calling on her colleagues in the legislature to ‘reject abuse’ towards politicians.

In a member statement to the house on Tuesday, Jansen spoke about some of the comments she has received since crossing the floor to the NDP last week.

The MLA for Calgary-North West said she was labelled “dead meat”, a “useless tit” and told that she should stay in the kitchen.

“Now you have two blond bimbos in a party that is clueless,” Jansen read.

Jansen said that such harassment can scare off women who want to make a contribution to public life.

“If you are stunned by the words you have heard in the last few days, if you reject the inherent violence behind them and you know that harassment and abuse – even if it’s verbal and even if it’s online and even if it’s directed at a political opponent – that it’s poison.”

Jansen told her fellow MLAs to “stand together’ against bullying and harassment.

“In our words and our actions every day from all sides, if we don’t feed it, we must oppose it,” she said.

Jansen received a standing ovation from politicians on both sides of the aisle following her moving speech.

WATCH BELOW: In a member statement to the house Tuesday, new Alberta MLA Sandra Jansen recounted some of the comments she said have been directed to her since she crossed the floor to the NDP from the Progressive Conservatives last week. Jansen said she’s been called some terrible things, which she listed Tuesday.